Cement lined tank and spud opening therefor



' H. M.- BIXBY CEMENT LINED TANK AND SPUD OPENING mamzx-"oxa Nov. 4, 1953 Filed June 23. 1953 ll/AI/$\IH Ill/Ill! N\ INVENTOR. 3 Z% fi@ ATITORNEYS.

United States Patent CEMENT LINED TANK AND SPUD OPENING THEREFOR Harvey M. Bixby, La Porte, Ind., assignor to The Coleman Company, Inc., Wichita, Kans., a corporation of Kansas Application June 23,1953, Serial No. 363,617

4 Claims. (Cl. 220-454 This invention relates to a cement lined tank and spud opening therefor, and more particularly to a method of embossing a tank side sheet spud opening to provide for complete cement coverage over the tank spud.

In the preparation of a water heater or water supply tank, it has been common to apply to the inner surfaces of the tank a cement layer so that the cement will serve as a protective influence against the corrosive efiect produced by galvanic action, etc.,.and rusting of the metal. The layer of concrete is found to be effective in causing the water therein to lose its free oxygen and hence rusting is prevented. In the forming of spud openings within the tank, the inner surfaces of. the spud or spud sleeve has been exposed within the tank and such surfaces have been corroded in the operation of thestructure. Such a point is critical in that a conduit is attached to this area and the corrosion therebetween is highly detrimental.

An object of the present invention is to provide a method of embossing a tank side sheet spud opening to provide for complete cement coverage over the tank spud so that no portion of the tank wall, including the spud sleeve, is exposed to the action of the water, the only surface being exposed thereto being the inlet or outlet pipe which is, of course, removable and renewable. Another object is to provide a tank structure in which the spud opening and spud sleeve is surrounded by a cement area having a level extending outwardly of the spud sleeve to provide a layer of cement over the edge of the spud sleeve to protect such edge against corrosive action, rusting, etc. Other specific objects and advantages will appear as the specification proceeds.

The invention is shown, in a single illustrative embodiment, by the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a side view in elevation of a tank equipped with a spud opening embodying my invention; Fig. 2, a sectional view, on an enlarged scale, of the spud opening arrangement and showing a nipple within the spud sleeve; and Fig. 3, a sectional view, the section being taken as indicated at line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

In the illustration given, designates a tank formed of steel or any suitable metal or material. For the purpose of illustration, a single spud opening is shown. It will be understood that in the actual construction of a water heater or other tank, a plurality of spud openings will be required. It is believed, however, that for the purpose of the present invention it is suflicient to show a single spud opening and spud sleeve therein.

In the practice of the invention, the tank wall 11 is pressed outwardly or embossed to provide an outwardlydished area 12, as shownmore clearly in Figs. 2 and 3. In the outwardly-dished area there is formed a spud opening 13 into which is extended the spud sleeve 14 which is provided with an outwardly-flared collar 15 adapted to abut the adjacent embossed area 12 of the tank. The collar portion 15 is then welded to the tank so as to form a tight union therewith. The sleeve portion 14 is provided on its interior with threads 16, as shown more clearly in Fig. 3.

Patented Nov. 4, 1958 2 In the illustration given, the spud opening is closed by inserting a threaded plug or nipple 17 inwardly to the position illustrated in Fig. 2. It will be understood that various types of nipples serving the purpose of closing the spud opening and forming an opening through the cement layer may be employed. For the purpose of illustration, the simple plug structure shown may'be set out.

In the practice of the invention, the desired amount of cement for lining the tank may be introduced into the interior of the tank after the end closures of the tank are secured, and then the plug or nipple 17 may be inserted into position as illustrated. Thereupon the tank is supported upon fixtures mounted on rollers, in accordance with Well known practice, and the tank is rotated rapidly (preferably at an R. P. M. of 3,000 peripheral feet per minute) to cause the cement to form a lining on the tank to the depth illustrated. It will be noted that the cement forms a layer 18 over each inner edge of the spud sleeve 14. After the cement has been thus evenly distributed over the inner surface of the tank, a bonderizing agent, such as, for example, silicate of soda, may be introduced in mist form into the interior of the tank for rapid setting of the cement. Excess water, etc. within the tank may be removed through a drain opening. Plug 17 may be then removed to leave an opening through the cement with the annular lip portion 18 covering the outer edge of the sleeve. Thus when a pipe is threaded into the spud sleeve 14, theonly metal exposed to the interior of the tank is the inserted pipe which, of course, may be removed and renewed as desired. If desired, the edge portion 18 may be slightly tapered to the shape form indicated in Fig. 3, or left as originally formed when the plug shown in Fig. 2 is withdrawn. In any event, there is provided an annular lip 18 protecting the inner surface of the spud sleeve 14. Water passing through or into the cement lip 18 loses its free oxygen and there is no tendency for the inner edge of the spud sleeve 14 to rust or corrode, etc.

While, in the specific illustration given, I have shown the wall of the tank provided with a spud opening and have described the process in which the cement lining is formed by rotating the tank for centrifugal application of the cement or aggregate to the interior of the tank, it will be understood that the cement or aggregate layer may be applied in different ways to the tank or to the end portions of the tank. For example, the end portions, such as, for example, the head of the tank, may be provided with spud openings and spud sleeves secured therein and the cement may be applied to the inner face of the head by any suitable means, including trammeling or hand operations, the level of the cement being extended beyond the edges of the spud sleeve to provide a protective lip about the inner edges of the sleeve.

While in the foregoing description I have set forth a specific structure and method in considerable detail, it will be understood that such details may be varied widely by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of my invention.

I claim: 1

1. In a method for forming a tank provided with spud opening, the steps of embossing an area about the opening to form an outwardly-dished area, securing a I spud sleeve within said opening with the inner edge surface portions of said sleeve disposed within said tank, allowing said aggregate lining to harden, and removing said nipple from the sleeve and aggregate lining to leave an opening through the lining with a protective aggregate lip covering the inner edge of said sleeve.

2. In a process for forming a tank provided with a spud opening in the side wall thereof, the steps of inserting a spud sleeve into the opening and welding the same to the tank with the inner edge of the sleeve projecting beyond the opening and into the interior of the tank, introducing a nipple into said sleeve to provide an inner end thereof projecting beyond the inner edge of the sleeve, lining the inside of the tank with cement and controlling the amount of cement introduced into said tank to form a cement level between the inner edge of the sleeve and the inner end of the nipple for completely covering all of the external surface portions of said sleeve disposed within said tank, allowing the cement of said lining to harden, and withdrawing the nipple to leave an opening through said cement lining with a protective cement lip extending about the inner edge of the spud sleeve.

3. A tank structure having an outwardly embossed portion defining an outwardly dished area in a wall thereof, an opening through said wall in said embossed portion, a spud sleeve secured to said tank and having a free inner end projecting through the opening in the wall of the tank and into said dished area, a layer of cement coating the interior surface of said tank and filling said dished area about the free inner end of said sleeve, said sleeve having its free end terminating between the inner surface of said wall and the inner surface of said cement layer, said layer having an opening therethrough aligned with said sleeve and having a diameter substantially equal to the inner diameter of the sleeve, said layer also adhering to and covering the entire side and 4 end surfaces of the portion of said spud sleeve disposed within said tank.

4. A cylindrical tank structure having an outwardly embossed portion defining an outwardly dished area in the cylindrical side Wall thereof, an opening through said wall in said embossed portion, a spud sleeve secured to said tank and having a free inner end projecting through the opening in the wall of the tank and into said dished area, a plug removably mounted in said sleeve and having an inner end projecting through the sleeve a selected distance beyond the free inner end of the same, a layer of cement coating the interior surface of the tank and having an inner surface disposed between the free inner end of said sleeve and the inner end of said plug, said layer adhering to and covering the entire side and end surfaces of the portion of said spud sleeve disposed within said tank, whereby, said plug may be removed from said sleeve to leave an opening through said cement layer between the sleeve and the inner surface of the layer, said opening having a diameter substantially the same as the inner diameter of said sleeve.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Re. 22,866 Babson Apr. 15, 1947 1,928,424 Hapgood Sept. 26, 1933 1,969,120 Coakley Aug. 7, 1934 2,123,169 Fowler July 12, 1938 2,186,185 Walker Jan. 9, 1940 2,230,241 Franklin Feb. 4, 1941 2,232,366 Chappell Feb. 18, 1941 2,266,609 Martin Dec. 16, 1941 2,309,843 Greenspan Feb. 2, 1943 2,346,423 Gray Apr. 11, 1944 2,624,095 Cummins Jan. 6, 1953 2,764,427 Andrus Sept. 25, 1956 

